Packaging apparatus



May 16, 1939. 1.. E. DAVIES PACKAGING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 20, 1958 lNi ENTOR Lyn Z'Dauaea,

ATTORNEYS.

y 1939- L.. E. DAVIES 2,158,675

PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 b walla!!! wINVENTOR.

. m granted to White Cap Company on May 26. 1 3 I August 1, 1933, theillustration being in the na- Patented May 16, 1939 it 2,158,675

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGDN G APPARATUS Lynn 1;. Davies, Parkmor m, assignor toWhite Cap Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofDelaware Applicationjuly 20, 1938. Serial No. 220,238 16 Claims. (01.226-.129)

This invention relates to apparatus for 'proand most comprehensive scopeof the invention gressively feeding or advancing receptacles, suclr inthe art. as jars, bottles or the like, in a series, as for the In saiddrawings, Y purpose of applying and sealing closure caps upon Fig. 1 isa somewhat diagrammatic illustrathem in the packaging of food productsor the tion of apparatus embodying the invention, like. showing it asused in a cap-applying and sealing The present invention comprisesprimarily immachine such as is shown in the above mentioned provementson themechanism forming the sub- Patent No. 2,041,891 and U. S. PatentNo. 'ject matter of U. S. Letters Patent No. 2.041.891,1,920,539,,granted to White Cap Company on l and its primary object isto provide means whereture of a vertical section through such a ma-,

by receptacles may be fed progressively in a china and showing portionsof the apparatus series at a uniform rate of travel, but atnonconstituting the present invention in side eleuniform or irregularspacing relative to one anvation; other, and be maintained securelyagainst tilting Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of one of the belt Iiorlupsetting at various localities in their course control devicesforming a part of said apparatus; 'Whereat their upper portions may besubjected Fig. 3 is a detail in the nature of a perspecto drag or acertain amount of impedance, as tive of a sheave yoke employed in theapparatus incident to the application of closure caps to shown in Fig.2; them. 3 Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of a portion 20 Aparticular object of the present invention of the belt control apparatusshowing the assois to provide an arrangement whereby the reciated beltin cross-section; tentive engagement of the individual receptacles Fig.5 is a plan view illustratingthe relationis rendered more positive,certain and secure at ship of the associated receptacle-engaging belts2.3 the critical locations in the course of their travel and theircontrol devices in the positions which and at the same time to rendertheir progress they normally occupy in the absence oi. recepabsolutelysmooth and uniform and eliminate tacles; I

any opportunity for their being subjected to Fig. 6 is a similar planview illustrating the shocks or jolts at the times that the retentivealtered positions or relationships assumed by the so pressures areapplied to or removed from them. various elements of the belt controldevices and Yet another object is the provision of an ap-' the beltsincident to the, presence of receptacles paratus whereby the accuratecentering or alignbetween the belts;

ing of the receptacles in reference to an asso- Fig. '7 is a transversevertical section illustrat ciated device, such as a cap-applying means,is ing means for adjusting the belt control devices; 3,, effectedsmoothly'and without joltin while at Fig. 8 is a top view of same; and

the same time the accustomed variations from Fig. 9 is a sideelevational view of same. uniform size in the width or diameters of theThe nature of the present invention may be receptacles may be suitablyaccommodated. most quickly ascertained from the following de- A furtherobject of the invention is the proscription of the illustrativeembodiment shown 4'0 vision of a means for accomplishing very accuin thedrawings. rate adjustment of the receptacle engaging ele- It .is to beunderstood that in the drawings the V ments so as to accommodate theapparatus to invention is shown as utilized in amachine forreceptacles'of various sizes. a applying and sealing closure caps onjars, bot- Other and further objects of the invention tles, or the like.It is to be understood, however,

willbe pointed outor indicated hereinafter, or that the inventionis-susceptible of other uses. will be apparent upon an understanding ofthe The machine here shown comprises a casing l0 invention or itsemployment in use. having a top portion from which depend side wall Inthe accompanying drawings forming a part portions H in such relationshipas to provide a of this specification, I show. and hereinafterdetunnel-like passage. Through this passage runs o scribe, one form ofapparatus representing an the upper flight of a conveyor bel l which 185Q embodimentofthe invention. It is to be underactuated. by suitablemechanism to move it in stood, however, that this' is presented merely.the direction indicated by the arrow. Through for purpose ofillustration and hence is not to the top of the casing lll'extends achute l4 down be construed in any fashion for the purpose of whichclosure caps may be fed to a cap-applying s limiting the appended claimsshort of the true device I! which is positioned above the conveyor beltI! and which is adapted to present caps successively for application tosuccessive receptacles which may be moved progressively past the devicel5.

Associated with the conveyor 12, and disposed one at each side thereof,are the endless holding belts 20, which are entrained on pulleys 2|, 22and 24 which are Journaled on the sides ll of the casing. These beltsare flexible, and compressible transversely to a certain extent, butpreferably are as nearly non-stretchable as possible. The pulleys 2| arejournaled on sw nging yokes 2la which are keyed to stubshafts 2ib which,at their outer ends carry arms Me which are drawn downwardly by springs23 to tension the belts longitudinally. As seen in Fig. 4, thecross-sectional form of the belts is such that at their inward sidesthey present relatively thin or narrow margins toward the path of thereceptacles. The location of the pulleys 2| and 22 is such that theyguide the lower flights oi the belts 2|! in approximately horizontaldirection at an appropriate distance above the conveyor l2 so that theyare opposite the upper portions of the receptacles which are transmittedon the belt I 2, the relationship of such receptacles in this particularbeing illustrated in a general way by the dotted line profile designatedby the reference character R in Figure 1. Means is provided foractuating the pulley 24 so as to transmit the lower flights of the belts20 in the same direction and at the same speed as the upper flight ofthe conveyor belt I2 is advanced.

In opposite locations adjacent the cap-applying device l5, belt controldevices are mounted on the casing walls H. Details of these belt controldevices may be seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Each of them comprises a pairof rigid parallel rods Ill and 31 which are rigidily connected at oneend by a head member 32, In this head member are rigidly set two strongpintle posts 34 and 36, which extend upwardly in parallel relationship.Journaled on each of these posts is a sheave yoke 21, 21' of the formshown more clearly in Fig. 3, wherein it will be seen that it comprisesan upper link 31a and a similar lower link 3112 rigidly connected inparallel relationship by a spacer block 31c which is formed with adepression 31d constituting'a spring seat. Toward their ends the linksare provided with aligned apertures 31c adapted to flt rotatably on thepintle posts 34 or 36. Between the end portions of the links 31a and 31bare mounted the guide sheaves 40 and 4|, the guide sheaves 4| being theintermediate sheaves and being Journaled on the pintle posts 34 and 38respectively, and the end sheaves 40 being Journaled on the pintlescrews 42 which are set in the proper apertures 31a oi the yokes.

At their inner sides the head members 32 carry upstanding stop members44, which extend upwardly to the inner sides of the lower links 31b ofthe yokes, but terminate short of the peripheral grooves of the sheaves.These stops 44 form abutments for the yokes to limit their movementinwardly, and they are so located that when the yokes are against them,the peripheries of the end sheaves 40 extend inwardly slightly beyondthose of the intermediate sheaves. This inward offset position of theend sheaves is shown in somewhat exaggerated proportion in'Fig. 2, andis for a purpose hereinafter explained. To the outer sides of the yokes,the head member is provided with upstanding spring seats 45 havingcavities which are opposite the cavities 31d of the yokes, and in thesecavities, between the respective yokes and associated spring seats 45,are socketed the coil springs 46, which are put in under compression sothat they are compressed when the yokes are against the inner stops 44,and thereby are efiective normally to hold the yokes against thosestops.

The rods 30 are slidably mounted in sleeves 41, which are set in thecasing side walls II, so that they may slide outwardly and inwardly, andagainst the outer end of the rod 30 is imposed a coil spring 49,maintained under compression against a cap socket through which extendsa reduced extension 30a of the rod 30. A screw BI is threaded into theouter end portion of the extension 30a and contacts the cap 50 to holdthe spring 49 under compression, while permitting the rod 30 andextension 30a to slide outwardly. The spring 49 presses the device to aninner limit position, but may yield to permit the device to moveoutwardly if suflicient pressure is applied to it.

The belt control devices are disposed in the casing wall II at a levelsuch that the peripheral grooves of the sheaves 40 and 4| receivetherespective belts 20, and guide said belts in their course as theyapproach the cap-applying device l5, as they pass it, and as they leaveits vicinity. The spacing of the two oppositely disposed pulleys 22transversely of the machine, and likewise the spacing of the twooppositely disposed pulleys 2|, is somewhat greater than the diameter ofthe largest receptacles admissible to the machine. One of the functionsof the belt control devices is to direct or guide the lower traverses ofthese belts into such relationship that they will engage opposite sideportions of the receptacles, so

as to grasp the receptacles between them and thus support them firmlyagainst tilting or rocking on the conveyor belt l2 incident to theirprogressive movement. Accordingly, in order to exercise this function,the oppositely disposed belt control devices are set closer to eachother than are the oppositely disposed pulleys 22 and 2|, with theresult that the belts 20 move on convergent paths from the pulleys 2| tothe rearward end sheaves 40 and on divergent paths from the forward endsheaves 40 to the pulleys 22.

The means for adjusting the belt control devices for cooperation withreceptacles of different diameter is illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Onthe outer sides of the housing walls I l and in positions opposite eachother are secured bearing members 52, same being in association with thecap sockets 50, and journaled in these bearing members 52 are the arborsof adjusting levers 54. The upper ends of these adjusting levers arebifurcated as seen at 54a. (Fig. 9) and their lower ends are journaledat 55 to short links 56. These links are journaled at their outer ends56a to the cap sockets 50.

The levers 54 swing in planes parallel to the sleeves 41, so that whenthe upper ends of said levers are swung outwardly, away from thehousing, their lower ends will be swung inwardly and will propel thesleeves 41 and rods 30 inwardly, hence moving the belt control devicestoward each other; and when the upper ends of the levers 54 are swunginwardly, the belt control devices will be moved outwardly or away fromeach other. I

For eifecting such adjustments of the belt control devices, and keepingthem uniform so that both will be moved exactly the same distance, Iprovide on the top of the housing I0 a transversely extending sleeve 51fixedly secured in place by bolts 58. This sleeve has coaxiallongitudinal bores 59 and 80, separated by a restriction 6| which istapped with a screw thread. In the bore 59 rotates and slides a rod 62which has fixed coaxially thereto a rod 65 which is screw threaded andmeshed with the tapped restriction 6|. In the bore 60 slides a quill '65which is bored and tapped with an internal screw thread. The rod 84.carries at its end an enlargedhead 10 6B which is threaded and meshedwith the internal thread of the quill 85. This internal thread of thequill 65 is of opposite pitch from that of the rod 84 and restrictionGI. and it is of twice the pitch thereof. a i

The outer end portion or the quill 85 carries a reduced extension 65awhich extends through the bifurcationlla oi the lever, said bifurcationbeing retained between the shoulder at the inner end of'said reducedextension and a flange 85b 2 at the outer end thereof. The outer end ofthe rod" is provided wth a hinged joint 82a and a reduced extension 62bat its outer end, which occupies the bifurcation 54a of the other lever,said bifurcation being retained betweena flange 62c and the shoulder ofa hand wheel 61 which is fixed to the outer end of the reduced extension62b. 3

By virtue of the construction, rotation of the hand wheel 67 in onedirection will rotate the rods 62, 64 and member 66 and will propel themin one direction, according to the pitch of the threading of therestriction 6i. At the same time, however, by virtue of thescrew-threaded engagement of the head 66 in the threaded bore of rod 65,because of the fact that its pitch is opposite and twice the degree ofthat of the restriction iii and rod 64, said rod 65 will be propelled inthe direction opposite that in which the rod M is moved. Accordingly,the upper ends 0 of both levers M will be swunginwardly when the handwheel is rotated in one direction, and outwardly when it is rotated inthe other direction, and the extent to which said levers will be swungwill be exactly the same. Consequently,

4 the two belt control devices will be moved inwardly or outwardly toexactly the same extent, so that they will be maintained in symmetricalrelationship to the median line of the conveyor i2.

It will be observed that this adjustment of the belt control devices iseffected against the influence of the belt tensioning'springs 23.Accordingly, the belts 20 are always maintained taut, even thoughtheactual length of their lower 55 flights, between pulleys 2| andpulleys 22, may

vary according to the positions of the control devices.

Accordingly, as a receptacle approaches the cap-applying device i5, eventhough it may not 60 be standing on the exact median line of the beltl2, it will be very gradually and-very gently slid inwardly to themedian position by one or the other of the belts 20 as it approaches thecontrol devices.

Inasmuch as the disengagement of the cap from the cap-applying device l5may impose considerable drag or resistance to the progressively' movingreceptacle, it is quite important that the grasping action exerted bythe belt upon 70 the upper part of the receptacle be quite flrm andstrong. This necessitates the cooperating control devices being setclose enough to each other to compress the belt strongly. against theinterposed receptacle. Consequently, there may be a 76 rather abrupt,though necessarily obtuse, change in the direction-of the belt at thepoint where it first touches the periphery of the rearward end sheave40. In order to overcome any undesirable efl'ect of such an'abruptcorner-like change in the direction of the belt, which might jar thereceptacle or momentarily retard its progress, the said rearward sheave40, by virtue of the pivotal mounting of the yoke 81 on the pintle post34, is adapted to swing outwardly, against the influence of thecompression spring 46, and thus taper-oil" to a gentler angle the changein the direction of the belt. The importance of this will be recognizedwhen it is appreciated that even before rea ng the rearward sheaves 40,the belts may be somewhat compressed upon the receptacle, so that'itwill have indented itself into them to some extent. By virtue of thisindependent yieldability of the rearward sheaves 40, therefore, thereceptacle is eased into the closer bite and higher grasping pressure ofthe belts between the intermediate sheaves M. This is illustrated in ageneral way at the left-hand part of Fig. 6.

Accordingly, by the time the mouth of the receptacle engages the cap inthe cap-applying device i5,

between the belts which are firmly supported at the receptacle is verysecurely grasped their outer sides by the intermediate sheaves 4|, thispressure, of course, being subject to relief through the medium ofsprings M, in event it reaches a dangerous degree, as might occur in thecase of an excessively oversize receptacle. With this advancingmovement, the receptacle withdraws the cap from the cap-applying deviceand moves on to a position between the forward end sheaves 40. These endsheaves on the departing end of the control devices, like those at theentering end, are susceptible of outward independent movement againstthe pressure of their springs 46, in like fashion. However, there is asomewhat different purpose for allowing them this independent outwardmovement. This purpose is in contemplation of instances in which thedeparting receptacle is materially oversize and is followed closely byanother receptacle which may be somewhat undersize. If the departingsheaves had no outward movement excepting that partaken of by the entiredevice, against the spring 49, the departing oversize receptacle mighthold the belts sufficiently far apart to prevent their maintaining aneffective grasp upon the immediately following undersize receptacle,with the result that said undersize receptacle might be tilted or evenupset by the drag or retarding action exerted upon its mouth portion bythe cap which is in the cap-applying device. The provision of theindependent outward movement for the departing end sheaves avoids such acontingency and permits the inmediate sheaves and hence overcoming anytend- .ency of thedeparting. receptacle to jump immediately after itpasses the bite point between the opposite intermediate sheaves. Theprovision of the independently movable departing end Jsheaves alsoextends the control of the holding belts 20, so that theymay bemaintained definitely in holding engagement with the receptacle untilitpasses under the sealing belt, which may be located at approximately theposition indicated by the dotted lines S.

The inward ofiset of the end sheaves 40, when their yokes are againstthe stops M, as described above, is for the purpose of insuring aneffective grip of the holding belts upon an entering or departingreceptacle in an instance when an oversize receptacle may be oppositethe intermediate sheaves. Of course, there are limitations as to theextent to which a receptacle may be permissibly oversize or out-of-roundin order to come within accepted standardsor specifications. By havingthe inward offset of the end sheaves approximately of an inch, anoverall diametric variation of of an inch will be accommodated, in theparticulars explained above, and a .variation of that extent amplyexceeds the permissible or overall variation in the caliber of glassreceptacles according to the present standards.

What I claim is:

1. In an appliance for handling packing re-.

ceptacles which has means for conveying receptacles progressively in aseries, holding belts arranged to run along opposite sides of the pathof the receptacles and means for driving said belts, apparatus forcontrolling the direction of the belts travel comprising a plurality ofsheaves arranged in series in oppositely disposed groups and engagingthe belts at their outer sides and guiding them, the respective groupsof sheaves being adjustable as a unit inwardly and outwardly relative tothe paths of the receptacles, and certain of the sheaves beingindividually adjustable inwardly and outwardly relative to the others intheir groups by pressure applied to the belts, and yielding pressuremeans urging the respective groups and the respective indi-.

vidually adjustable sheaves inwardly toward their inner limit positions.

2. Apparatus as specified in claim land wherein the said yieldingpressure means which is effective on the groups of sheaves is of greaterresistance than that which is eflective on individual sheaves.

3. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein the sheaves inrespective groups are normally approximately in alignment parallel tothe path of travel of the receptacles.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein each group of sheavescomprises terminal sheaves and at least one intermediate sheave, and theindividually adjustable sheave is the terminal sheave which is rearmostin the direction of the belts travel.

5. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein each group of sheavescomprises terminal sheaves and at least one intermediate sheave, and theindividually adjustable sheave is the terminal sheave which is foremostin the direction of the belts travel.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim land wherein each group of sheavescomprises terminal sheaves and at least one intermediate sheave, and theterminal sheaves are the ones which are individually adjustable.

7. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein the belts are guided inconverging relationship to the groups of sheaves and in divergingrelationship from the groups of sheaves.

8. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and wherein the sheaves arerotatably mounted on head members which are movable inwardly and out-,wardly rectilinearly relative to the path or the receptacles.

9. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and including head members whichare movable inwardly and outwardly rectilinearly relative to the path ofthe receptacles and whereon the sheaves are rotatably mounted, theindividually adjustable sheaves being adjustable arcuately relative tothe head members.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a belt guide comprising anadjustable head member, means limiting it to right-line movement in itsadjustments, pintle posts fixed in parallel relationship on the headmember, sheaves journaled on said pintle posts, yokes hinged on saidpintle posts, other sheaves journaled in said yokes, stop members forcooperation with said yokes to limit their inward movement, and springsurging said yokes toward said stop members.

11. In apparatus oi the kind described, the combination of a conveyorfor moving receptacles progressively, .endless holding belts extendialong opposite sides thereof, yielding means for tensioning said holdingbelts longitudinally, means fordriving said conveyor and belts at likelinear speed, and belt control devices disposed opposite each other andeach having a plurality of belt-engaging members engaging outer sides ofthe respective belts to guide them, said belt control devices beingadjustable toward and from each other to vary the course of the belts,and certain of the belt-engaging members of respective control devicesbeing individually adjustable inwardly and outwardly independently ofthe others. e

12. Apparatus as specified in claim 11 and wherein the belt controldevices are spring pressed toward each other against the tension of thebelt tensioning means.

13. Apparatus as specified in claim 11 and wherein the independentlyadjustable belt-engaging members are spring pressed against the belts.

14. Apparatus as specified in claim 11 and wherein the belt controldevices are primarily spring pressed against the tension 01' the beltsand the independently adjustable belt-engaging members are springpressed against the belts but with a force inferior to that effective onthe belt control devices primarily.

15. Apparatus as' specified in claim 11 and wherein the belt controldevices are primarily spring pressed inwardly against the belts andcertain of their belt-engaging members are secondarily spring pressedindividually and independently against the belts with an inferior force,and stop members are provided to limit the inward movement ofthe beltcontrol devices and belt-engaging members.

16. Apparatus as specified in claim 11 and including stops for limitinginward movement 01 the individually adjustable belt-engaging members inpositions where they extend inwardly slightly beyond their associatedbelt-engaging members, and yielding pressure means urging saidindividually adjustable belt-engaging members toward said stops.

LYNN E. DAVIES.

